


A Kiss Out Of Line And Ahead Of Its Time

by maliciouslycreative



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: And Is Resolved After Like 5 Minutes, But It's A Non Issue, Canon Compliant, Cheating, Established Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Humor, M/M, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 06:20:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20335489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maliciouslycreative/pseuds/maliciouslycreative
Summary: Shiro likes to think of himself of a good man. Except he's done something incredibly stupid and indisputably bad in a moment of drunken weakness. He should just call himself Sharon because he feels like he's some trashy suburban housewife that's cheated on her husband while he was deployed overseas. Sure it was only one little kiss but it's the principle of the whole thing. Maybe if he's lucky his partner will literally rip out his still beating heart instead of metaphorically so that he doesn't have to endure any further torture. A man can dream...Curtis on the other hand has accepted his fate. He's written his will and is just waiting out his final days in peace. Ok sure he has some anxiety - ok a lot of anxiety - but he knows how it's going to end for him.Keith just wants everyone to be happy. He's had enough terrible things in his relatively short life that he's come to appreciate what he has. Namely Shiro, and if Shiro is happy then, well, he's happy.





	A Kiss Out Of Line And Ahead Of Its Time

**Author's Note:**

> lmao so I started writing this 3 days after season 8 dropped. Apparently I had like 1 sentence missing to finish the fic so who knows how long it's been sitting in my drafts nearly done. Anyway this is my fix it for the end of the series. Because why get mad over ships when you can get beautiful polyamory uwu

Guilt. This is something that Shiro is achingly familiar with. He’s gotten better at dealing with it over the years but sometimes it just feels so overwhelming. Especially times like this. Especially with what he did… and who it’s going to affect.

“Hey handsome!” Is the only warning he gets before arms are being flung around his neck and he’s being pulled down into a kiss. He goes through the motions until he can politely pull away and look down into Keith’s grinning face.

“I missed you.” Keith says before he tries to go in for another kiss.

“I missed you too.” Shiro brushes some hair out of Keith’s face as a way to avoid the kiss.

Keith frowns. “Something’s the matter.”

“I…” Shiro glances around the crowded shuttle bay of the Atlas and lets out a sigh. “Not here.” 

“Yah, fine.” Keith sighs. He grabs his bag and stalks out of the shuttle bay.

“Well that went great.” Shiro mutters as he hurries after Keith. He catches up to him by the exit and they walk in silence for several corridors until Shiro’s nerves get the better of him. “So, how was your mission? Missions? I guess you’ve been gone a few months.”

“Good.” The faintest of smiles hints at Keith’s lips. “I got to see my mom on my last stop. She’s doing great by the way and sends her best wishes to you. She also says you should visit sometime.”

Wincing Shiro nods his head. “I’ll make an effort. The Atlas has just been getting pulled in so many directions. We’re the largest ship out there that isn’t galra so people always want us to transport something or other”

“I know.” The words sound harsh but Shiro catches the ghost of a smile on Keith’s lips. It makes him relax just a little. 

Keith brushes his hand against Shiro and Shiro wastes no time in twining their fingers together. It’s kind of nice, just the two of them. It seems like they hardly get the time to be together like this anymore. It sends another pang of guilt through his heart. 

They get to the captain’s quarters and Shiro is simultaneously filled with excitement and dread. He kind of wants to throw up. Keith has barely set down his bag when Shiro blurts out, “I kissed someone else!” 

Keith raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything.

“Aren’t you mad?” Shiro sounds a little desperate, even to his own ears.

“Well, if you say it was Lance I might be. But like...” Keith shrugs.

Collapsing onto the couch Shiro puts a hand over his face. “It wasn’t Lance.”

“Ok,” Keith sits down gently beside him, “So tell me what happened. I guess I might get angry but obviously you feel pretty guilty about this so I’m not overly worried?”

Shiro looks over at Keith and true to his words he looks more worried than angry. It warms Shiro’s heart just a little. “It was Curtis.”

“Shocker.” 

“What?” Shiro opens and closes his mouth a few times.

Sighing Keith seems to melt back into the couch. “You really didn’t notice his adorable puppy love for you, did you?” 

“Umm…” Shiro bites his lip as he rakes his brain. Sure he can remember Curtis giving him a lot of sweet smiles but Curtis is just a really nice guy and Shiro’s pretty sure that he smiles at everyone like that? Probably? Maybe? 

Keith turns so he can better study Shiro. “You really didn’t know.” He says almost with wonder. “He’s kind of been in love you with since forever. Even before Kerberos. I guess you weren’t there so you didn’t see it but he was pretty torn up when they announced you were KIA.” 

Memories flood Shiro’s mind of late evenings with Adam and Curtis when they were cadets. Countless nights sneaking onto the roof of the Garrison and gazing at the stars. Adam producing a bottle of wine he managed to sneak in and the three of them passing it around after graduation. He’d spent so much time back then focused on Adam that he’d never really entertained the idea that there might be something more with Curtis. From the look that Keith is giving him now Shiro is probably the only person that didn’t notice. 

“God you're so oblivious” Keith rolls his eyes but he can't hide the fond smile. 

“Hey, I eventually figured out you were in love with me.” Shiro crosses his arms over his chest.

“Yah, after I literally brought you back from the dead. Also I told you. Like a lot.”

“Very passionately” Shiro smirks. 

“We are so lucky that Kosmo could get us some privacy on our voyage back to Earth.”

Shiro just can’t help himself, he leans forward and presses a soft kiss to Keith’s lips. They kiss gently for a few seconds before Keith pulls away. 

“Look, Takashi,” Keith lets out a huff of air, “this thing between us. I know it’s not easy. We’ve both got so many responsibilities that pull us in a million different directions all over the universe. We’ve been through things that no two other people can go through and the bond we forged from that is unbreakable. I love you more than anyone. And I also realise that you’re heart is so big and so full of love that you can have room in there for more than one person.”

Tears are caught in Shiro’s throat and he doesn’t know what to say. “Keith!” He manages to gasp out but everything else feels tangled up.

“Before I left last time-” Keith looks away and licks his lips. “Look, I should have talked to you about this before. I just got caught up in everything that was going on at the time and just-” He looks back at Shiro and gives him an unreadable look. “I like it being just us but also, I think, I wouldn’t mind if you - I mean we - had someone else too?” He frowns slightly, looking almost uncertain. 

“Do - do you want us to have a boyfriend?” 

Keith's cheeks turn red. “I umm,” he glances around, “I guess? Maybe? If you do?”

Shiro’s brain is short circuiting. 

“And you don’t have to decide tonight - we’ve got all the time in the world.” 

“I think-” Shiro bites his lip, “I think I need to think on this a little first.”

“Of course.” Keith leans in and gives him a soft kiss. When he pulls back he glances at the bathroom door. “You think we’re done with this conversation for now?”

Exhaling Shiro stands up and offers a hand to Keith. He pulls Keih to his chest and wraps him in a tight hug. “I love you, more than anything and…” he pulls back so that he can look into his lover’s eyes, “Maybe you’re right? Maybe there’s something there with Curtis and pushing it away is just going to make it fester.”

Reaching up Keith affectionately brushes some hair from Shiro’s forehead. “If all of this has taught me anything that love doesn’t have to be one thing or another. We should just let our hearts feel what they want and figure it out as we go along.” 

“God, when did you get so sappy?” Shiro cuckles. 

Keith boops him on the nose. “I learned from the best. Now,” he slips out of Shiro’s arms and heads towards the bathroom, “I’m really excited to have proper water pressure and would very much like it if you joined me.” 

“Well, that is something I can certainly get behind.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” Keith says with a wink.

-x-x-x-

Curtis is a mess. Shiro keeps catching glances of him out of the corner of his eye. He feels a little guilty because he 100% knows it’s because Keith is standing on the bridge going over weapons systems with Iverson. It’s been 3 days since Keith came back but this is the first day Keith’s really shown his face to the rest of the crew. He’d spent most of his time back sleeping or, well, in bed with Shiro. 

Iverson knocks over his thermos and Curtis nearly jumps out of his skin. Crap, Shiro needs to do something before Curtis has a heart attack. 

“Blake, can I talk to you? Privately.” He tries to make it sound professional but considering the wide-eyed look Curtis is giving him it may have come off a little too impersonal. 

Everyone watches them as they step off the bridge and into the elevator for privacy. Shiro winces, maybe he could have been a little more subtle about this. He needed to get Curtis out of there before he had a heart attack. 

Almost the second the door closes behind them Shiro turns on Curtis and with the kindest smile he can muster he asks, “Are you alright?” 

“Your boy- Kei- Lieutenant Kogane um asked me to meet him, well both of you, for a private meeting? Later? And just - I imagine you told him about us but umm-”

“Whoah, calm down, Curtis.” Shir places gentle hands on both of Curtis’ shoulders. 

Curtis seems to only wilt further. “He’s really intense. And I’m not dead I’m assuming he’s not going to kill me. Yet. Or at least not in front of witnesses. But I’m honestly not sure what to expect...”

Shiro tries to offer him a reassuring smile. “It’s nothing bad, I promise. And you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

“No offense, sir, but if I don’t go then I’m pretty sure I’ll have a heart attack worrying about everything that could go wrong.”

Shiro’s face softens. “When it’s just the two of us you don’t have to use formalities with me, Curtis. We’ve been friends a long time.” 

Curtis offers him a weak smile. “Thanks Takashi. But, umm, I think I will when we’re on duty. You are my commanding officer.”

Sighing Shiro nods his head. “Alright Lieutenant. Whatever makes you most comfortable.” 

“Should we maybe go back?” Curtis is edging towards the door. 

“Of course, lieutenant.”

Curtis essentially bolts for his post. Shiro sighs. This is going to be a long day.

-x-x-x-

Shiro’s just finished pulling his shirt on when there's a knock at the cabin door. He’s barely even taken a step when he hears Keith yell “I got it!”. So much for setting a calming mood for tonight. 

Glancing in the mirror Shiro reassures himself with, “You got this, Takashi.”

When Shiro steps into the main part of the quarters the atmosphere can best be described as tense. He’s pretty sure he's never seen Curtis look so pale or small in his life. Keith, to his credit, is trying to give him a reassuring smile. Unfortunately most people aren’t accustomed to Keith’s smiles and find them mildly threatening. 

“Let’s sit.” Shiro takes Keith by the elbow and gently guides him to the small table in the corner. 

With a shrug Keith flops into one of the chairs, leans forward and unsheaths his Marmora blade before slamming it dramatically on the table. Shiro’s seen him do this hundreds of times but Curtis’ eyes look like they’re going to pop out of his head.

“Keith,” Shiro says, trying not to sound tired. He fails.

“What?” Keith looks at him like he’s got no idea what he’s done wrong. Shiro nods his head towards the knife on the table. “Oh!” Keith grabs the knife and hurries into the bedroom to put it away. 

Shiro flashes Curtis a smile as he sits down. With a deep breath Curtis sits in one of the remaining chairs. 

“So, what kind of kiss was it?” Keith says as he sits back in his chair. 

Shiro’s pretty sure he can see Curtis’ soul leaves his body.

“What?” Keith holds his hands up in a shrug. “Was it like romantic? A sloppy drunken makeout? Was there tongue?”

Slumping onto the table Shiro buries his face in his hands. He lets out a muffled “oh my god”

“Hey, I already said I'm not mad! I just want to know!” Shiro doesn’t even need to look up to see the pout on Keith’s face. 

With a sigh Shiro sits up and looks over at Keith. “We stopped at Earth about a week ago and in the supplies there was some wine. It made me… nostalgic. Back when we,” he gestured at Curtis and himself, “and Adam graduated from cadets we got ahold of a bottle of this same wine.”

“That was the night that Adam finally asked you out, wasn’t it?” Keith smiles fondly.

“Yah.” Shiro studies the surface of the table. There was a ring left from his coffee mug this morning. 

“He invited me over.” Curtis says quietly. Keith gives him a reassuring nod and with a sharp inhale Curtis continues, “Mostly we just talked about back then and we drank and just… well before we knew it we’d polished off the bottle. We were leaning against each other on the couch and then I- I’m so sorry I leaned over and kissed him. I realised my mistake right away, I’m so so so sorry!” Curtis buries his face in his hands. 

“Hey,” Keith nudged Curtis under the table with the toe of his boot. “It’s ok.” 

Curtis looks far from ok. He’s perched on the edge of his chair and keeps glancing nervously between Shiro and Keith. “No it’s not, I knew you two were together. Plus Takashi’s my commanding officer...” 

Snorting Shiro places a gentle hand on Curtis’ shoulder. “We may be officially flying the Garrison's colours but protocol went out the airlock the second the Galra attacked Earth.”

“Still, you’re-”

“Together. Yah. And in love or whatever.” Keith waves his hand around. “So anyway, do you want to date us? I mean, it’d probably be mostly just you and Takashi right now but once things settle on Dibazal then I hope to spend more time around here.”

“Yuh wuh uh, I uhh?” Curtis’ mouth drops open and he stares at Keith.

Keith leaned towards Shiro and stage whispers. “I think I broke him.”

“Curtis,” Shiro gently squeezes Curtis’ shoulder. “What Keith is trying to say-”

“I thought you were going to murder me!” Curtis is still staring at Keith wide-eyed. “I mean, everyone told me it would be fine and that you probably wouldn’t murder me but I saw you  _ stab _ a vending machine because it ate your money! And I kissed your partner! Which is obviously way worse than eating your money! But then you invite me here and you ask me out?” A hysterical laugh bubbles up out of him and Curtis slaps a hand over his mouth. 

“Ok but that machine stole my money.” Keith pouts. 

“You stabbed a vending machine?” Shiro gapes. 

“ _ It stole my money. _ ”

“You can’t just solve all your problems by stabbing them!” Shiro glares at Keith. “We talked about this.”

“It was one time!” Keith whines. 

“Twice.” Curtis says. It's barely audible because he still has his hand over his mouth.

Keith turns a betrayed look on Curtis. “You could at least pretend to have my back here.”

Shiro let's out a long suffering sigh. “We are coming back to this…” He turns his gaze to Curtis and his scowl softens into a smile. “I’m sorry, let's get back to what we were talking about?” 

Curtis pulls his hand away from his mouth and clasps his hands on the table. “I…” he glances between Keith and Shiro, a frown slowly forming. “This is real? I mean I understand Takashi but we, he gestures at Keith and himself, we've never been close.”

Keith glances away and stares at the wall. “You were always kind to me. I know you only talked to me initially because you were Shiro's friend back then. But then he went on the Kerberos mission and you were still kind to me? Like you didn't have to. I was just some dumb kid that followed your friend around.”

“You weren't just a dumb kid.”

Keith looks back at Curtis and smirks. “I dunno, I stabbed a vending machine.”

“Wait, this was back on earth? Before voltron?” Shiro frowns.

“I thought we were moving on. So anyway after they said the Kerberos mission failed and that it was pilot error you were the only person to come see if I was ok. I…” Keith licks his lips and glances away. “I wasn't real nice then but I appreciated it.”

Curtis reaches out and lays a hand on the table in front of Keith which he tentatively takes. Curtis smiles and says, “I knew that you two were pretty much the only family either of you had left. I didn't want you to be alone. Also I…”

“You knew that it wasn't pilot error.” Shiro says it with surprise. 

“I was just transferred into the mission. The previous communication officer’s appendix burst and they needed someone in a pinch. Sanda was against it but Iverson came to bat for me. Said I probably already knew more about the mission than I was supposed to. I was there when the last message came in. I was ordered to keep it a secret.”

Keith’ hand tightens around Curtis’. “That's why you told me to go after what I believed in. You-”Keith’ head snaps up and he stares at Curtis for a moment before the corner of his mouth turns up in a smirk. “you leaked classified files to me hinting that something else had gone wrong on Kerberos.”

“I have no idea what you're talking about. Leaking classified files is a court martialable offense.” Curtis smirks. 

“You two” Shiro laughs. “You know, it’s probably best if I don’t know the details of this.”

“No need to worry, Admiral. Absolutely nothing happened.” Keith winks.

Shiro sticks his tongue out at Keith then turns a soft look on Curtis. “I’m glad you two had each other.”

“Yah, we may not have been close but it meant a lot to me.” Keith smiles shyly at Curtis.

“You… you’re welcome.” Curtis glances between the two other men and a tentative smile plays at his lips. “You’re really both serious about this. This us thing.” He points between the three of them.

“I know it’s kinda weird.” Keith twirls some hair around his finger and glances away. “I see how you two look at each other and at first I mean I was kind of jealous. You get to see each other every day and I - I really miss that. And I was thinking about it and realised that I wasn’t jealous that Takashi obviously had feelings for you, I was just jealous that you got to see him more than I did.” Keith looked up at Curtis. 

“Keith.” Shiro places a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezes. 

Putting his own hand on top of Shiro’s Keith squeezed back. Keith smiles tentatively at Curtis. “So, what do you say?”

“I think,” Curtis glances between them, the beginning of a smile tugging at his lips, “that I should probably think this over first but I really want to say yes.”

“Yah?” Keith’s smile broadens and looks excited.

“Yah.” Curtis returns the smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi to me on [tumblr](https://maliciouslycreative.tumblr.com/), [pillowfort,](https://www.pillowfort.social/maliciouslycreative) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/a_soppon)!
> 
> I absolutely love comments and love to respond to them so please leave one if you want! And it's ok if it's weeks/months/years later, I will still love it and you owo


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